Boom—!
A deafening explosion roared through the room.
Kingpin's eyelid twitched. His own punch carried the destructive force of a bomb, yet Qin Xiao had unleashed the same explosive power with nothing more than a single finger.
"The strength of the Bomb Fruit doesn't rely on your physical force," Qin Xiao said evenly. "Anything your body touches can trigger an explosion. Your physical power has already reached the limit of what a human can achieve — you've hit a ceiling. But the Bomb Fruit has no ceiling.
Right now, the explosive force in your fist isn't even as strong as a single hand grenade. But imagine this: what if your punches carried the power of C4? Or even the destructive might of a missile? Tell me, under that kind of power, who could possibly stand against you?"
Qin Xiao's tone was smooth, almost seductive — the way a true devil tempts the soul, quietly stoking the flames of Wilson Fisk's ambition.
"The Bomb Fruit… can really reach that kind of level?"
Kingpin's eyes gleamed as he listened. The light in them grew brighter and brighter.
This world was dangerous — filled with people and weapons far deadlier than he was. His brilliant mind had allowed him to rule the underworld, but deep down, he had always longed for personal strength. That was why he trained daily, fighting the world's top martial artists.
But none of them could last even a minute against him anymore. His physical potential had long since plateaued.
Now, this Bomb Fruit offered him the possibility of surpassing that limit — and its upper bound depended only on his own will and creativity.
"I told you," Qin Xiao continued with a faint smile, "the power of the Bomb Fruit depends on how far you can develop it. And it's not just your body. Even the air you exhale can be turned into an explosive."
He took a slow, deep breath.
"For example— like this."
Whooo—
Qin Xiao exhaled lightly toward Kingpin.
BOOM!
The seemingly harmless breath detonated beside Kingpin like an invisible grenade.
His massive body tensed instantly, reacting on instinct. Despite his bulk, he moved with startling agility, leaping backward to avoid the blast. His face turned grim.
"You shouldn't attack me so suddenly," he growled, "it gives me… bad ideas."
Qin Xiao didn't seem to care. "Relax. I was merely demonstrating how the fruit works. The air you exhale, once charged through your lungs, can become a bomb. Besides— haven't you noticed? You're immune to explosions."
Kingpin's pupils shrank. He immediately checked himself over. Despite the grenade-level explosion that had gone off right beside him, there wasn't a single injury on his body.
"This… is part of the Bomb Fruit's power too?"
Now he was truly shaken.
"That's right," Qin Xiao said calmly. "From this point forward, ordinary explosions can't hurt you. But remember— whether it's the force you unleash or the explosions you endure, both depend on how far you develop your fruit.
The stronger the power you can create, the greater the power you can withstand.
And as for the upper limit of the Bomb Fruit…"
He paused, then added casually, "Someday, you might even be able to cause a nuclear-level explosion."
Kingpin's expression froze, then twisted into disbelief — and hunger.
A nuclear explosion!
If he could truly wield that kind of destructive power, who in the entire world could oppose him?
A nuclear bomb's strength in human hands — he would no longer be the king of the underworld…
He would be the king of the world!
The only king.
Armies? He could erase them with a wave of his hand.
Even nuclear strikes would be nothing to him.
But then, a sliver of unease rippled through his heart.
If Qin Xiao could casually produce such a fruit — it meant the man himself possessed powers beyond imagination. The "Eastern Devil's Envoy"... how deep did his strength go?
Kingpin's earlier thoughts of defying this so-called demon emissary gradually faded away. Until he truly understood Qin Xiao's limits, he had no intention of rebelling.
"Qin… emissary of the Eastern Devil," Kingpin said solemnly, "I'll make sure my people complete your plan. You'll become one of the major shareholders of Stark Industries — perhaps second only to Tony Stark himself."
His tone was serious, full of conviction. This was his formal commitment to their pact.
"Good," Qin Xiao said with satisfaction. "You understand, then. Focus on mastering your fruit's ability."
He stood and began walking toward the door.
In truth, Qin Xiao himself wasn't sure how powerful the Bomb Fruit could become. After all, in One Piece, Mr. 5 had completely wasted it — using it only to blow snot bombs and air puffs. A total waste of potential.
If someone with real combat skill developed it properly, the fruit's potential could be terrifying. That was exactly why the system had matched it to Kingpin — among several candidates, he was the perfect fit.
Qin Xiao had given him just a nudge in the right direction. With Kingpin's cunning intellect, he would undoubtedly find ways to push its limits — and the stronger Kingpin became, the more power Qin Xiao would harvest in return.
When he reached the door, Qin Xiao turned back, his eyes glinting faintly.
"Remember," he said softly, "don't ever try to deceive the devil — or the devil will reclaim your power."